Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 140

Devanagari script

किमन्यैर्बहुभिर्दानैर्दत्तैः पात्रेषु सुन्दरि

Transliteration

kimanyairbahubhirdānairdattaiḥ pātreṣu sundari

Translation

اے حسین، پھر اور بہت سے دانوں کی کیا حاجت ہے—اگرچہ وہ اہلِ ظرف ہی کو کیوں نہ دیے جائیں؟

Word by Word

• किम्: what (use/need)
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• दानैः: gifts, donations
• दानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• दत्तैः: given
• दत्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; दानैः इति विशेषण

• पात्रेषु: in/among worthy recipients
• पात्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन

• सुन्दरि: O beautiful lady
• सुन्दरि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Unnamed narrator addressing a female interlocutor (speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed to ‘sundarī’ (female interlocutor)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-like figure gently restrains a devotee from piling up many gifts, pointing instead toward the shrine—signifying ‘one complete vow is enough’.

Characters & Entities

• Dāna
• Pātra (worthy recipient)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A single, wholehearted sacred observance can surpass numerous external charities; inner devotion and focused dharma are emphasized.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as a bridge in the Prabhāsa Kṣetra māhātmya, framing the superiority of the forthcoming Śiva-vrata within this sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charitable giving) is referenced comparatively, preparing the praise of a specific vrata as more efficacious.